The Relationship Between Eating Behaviors and Mood States among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Objectives: Considering the potential interplay between psychological conditions and eating behaviors, this study aimed to investigate the associations between levels of depression, anxiety, and stress and hedonic hunger, food craving, and picky eating among university students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 382 university students (296 women and 86 men) recruited via convenience sampling method. Participants completed a questionnaire that included sociodemographic questions as well as the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQ), the Power of Food Scale (PFS), and Adult Picky Eating Questionnaire (APEQ). Participants’ body weight and height were self-reported. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0; statistical evaluations included Mann-Whitney U, chi-square, and Spearman correlation tests, alongside multivariable multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).Results: Significant differences were observed between female and male participants in terms of depression subscale of DASS-21 and physiological craving and cognitive preoccupation subscales of FCQ (p